Air-valve safety device



`lan. 14, 1930. R R, COBB y 1,743,758

AIR VALVE SAFETY DEVICE Filed July 25, 1929 1 Fl- :MT l A Y i y VINVENTOR. 2222- 4 BY @www ATTORNEY.

Patented dan. 14, 1930 f 'noennr RAYMOND. coma,y or Havens. sownCAROLINA AIB-VAL VE SAFETY DEVICE Application and July 25,

..j My invention relates to air valve'safety device for use onlocomotives.

The pr1nc1pal obJect of the invention 1s to apprise the engineer orfireman whenever` the 6 tlre of a main driving Wheel of the locomotiveslips.

It frequently happens that the metallic tire of a locomotive wheel willbe moved laterally `out of alinement with its wheel under the pressureencountered 1n rounding curves or whenA striking an uneven section oflrail. Unless the engineer learns of this tire trouble quickly a seriousaccident is likely to occur.

According to my invention any appreciable lateral movement of the tirewill open an air valve which in turn actuates a whistle thus notifyingthe engineer that trouble exists.

With the foregoing and. other objects in View, my invention resides inthe combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more particularlypointed out and described in the following specification, andspecifically pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation partly in section showing the devicemounted in position to be engaged by the tire of the locomotive wheel;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the valve, showing the tripmechanism in normal extended position;

Figure 3 is a view similar to that seen in Figure 2 with the exceptionthat the air valve trip member is shown in the position assumed whenforced inwardly by a slipping tire; and' Figure 4 is an end view of airvalve.

Referring more particularly to the' drawing wherein like referencenumerals designate p corresponding parts throughout the several views, 5.represents the locomotive driving wheel mounted upon the axle 6. Thewheel 5 is provided with the customary metallic tire 7 which engageswith and travels over the rail 27. Although only one wheel and .rail isshown, it will of course be understood that two of each areemployed. v

Suitably mounted upon the frame 8 adjacent the side of the locomotive isan air valve 1929. Serial No. 380,975.

member 9, one for each wheel 5, comprising a cylinder 10, the open outerend of which is closed by a threaded apertured cap 11. The cylinder 10is centrally bored to form the chamber 12 in which a piston or plunger.1.3 is adapted to be reciprocated, the plunger being of slightly lesslength and diameter ,than the chamber 12.

A headed valve trip member 14 is secured to the outer end of the plunger13 by means of the reduced threaded shank portion. 15

thereof, which extends through an aperture'-- 16 1n the cap 11 andthence into the thread# ed recess 17 formed in the outer end of theplunger. When the tire 7 slips on its wheel 5, this movement will beinward toward the. trip member 14, thus forcing the latter in acorresponding direction. It will also be un`I derstood that the tireslippage or movement is relative only with respect to the wheel and thelocomotive frame and body.

The plunger 13 and trip member 14 are normally maintained in outward orligure 2 position by means of air under pressure inf troduced into thecylinder 10, between the bottom wall 18 of bore 12 and the inner end ofthe plunger 13, by means of a pipe 19.

This pipe 19 communicates at one end withthe usual air line of thelocomotive and at'its other end screws intothe threaded walls 20 ofpassage 20, in turn leading to the inner end of bore 12. The airpressure exerted against the inner end 21 of plunger 13 forces the outerend thereof against the cap 11. and normally maintains the trip member14v in extended position. As the cylinder 10 is mounted adjacent thetire 7 and the trip member 14 4being in the lateral path of relativemovement of the tire it follows that any appreciable relative movementof the tire away from the wheel, and toward the frame 8, will cause thetire and trip member 14 to contact with each other. Continued movementof the tire causes the plunger 13 to move inwardly until the outlet endof pipe 19 is in communication with the annular recess 22 formed in theplunger adjacent the inner end thereof. The air under pressure from pipe19 will now escape through a pipe 23,l screwing into the threaded walls24' of passage 24 leading to the cylinder bore 12, the inward movementof the plunger 13 having brought the outlet passage 24 intocommunicatlon with the annular recess 22.

5 The air outlet pipe 23 leads to the engine cab, not shown, where itexhausts through a whistle or the like 25, thus apprising the engineerthat a tire has slipped. AI/iexhaust passage 26, prevents trapping ofair when the lo plunger 13 is moved to outer or normal position. l

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simplyconstructed and reliable means for automatically ap rising the 15engineer of impending dangerr ue to tire trouble. Y .S Having thusdescribed my invention; what I claim is:

1. In combination with a locomotive a safety air valve member fixed tothe locomotive frame adjacent the, tire wheel thereof, a whistle incommunication with said valve member, a trip member for tripping thevalve, means for supplying compressed airA under pressure to sald valvemember for maintaining said trip in the lateral path of relativemovement of said wheel tire with respect to the wheel and frame, wherebysuch' .movement of the tire will cause the valve t0 s0 trip and actuatethewhistle.

2. In vcombination with a locomotive, a `cylinder andplunger mounted onthe locomotive frame-adjacent the tire of the wheel thereof, 1 means'forsu plyingair under pressure to said cylinder or normall kforcing theplungeroutwardly towards sai tire, amair outlet normally communicatingwithv the cyl- Ainder at'oneend and rovided with a whistle at its otherYend, said` air '.outlet normally 40 closed by thesaid plunger, a tripmember on -said plunger'adaptedlto beengaged by and moved-inwardlyagainst the airpressure by thetire,"when theeti're has relative lateralmovementwith respectto said frame, thus p opening 'the -air outlet andsounding thev whistle'.

3. Iny combination lwith a locomotive, a cylinder and plungermounted onthe locomotive ,frame adjacentthewheels thereof, 59 meansior supplying4air under pressure to normally move the-'plunger in one direction, yanair 'cnxtlet normally closed by the plunger, a whistle in said airoutlet, a" trip operatively connected tofs'avidplunger positioned inthe5i?. lateral'fpathof movementl of the Iwheel tire with respect to theframe, whereby the sli pingoft etiremoves'the lunger againstt e] l airpressure-4` and causesft e' 'plunger ltofopen thea-ir "outlet andsoundthe whistle. 5 Inftestimon whe'eofflaix my signature.

`ER'I.RAYMOND COBB.

